Menunkatuck Trail

• Chittenden Park – 0.2 miles – (Parking) – From Long Island Sound, over a boardwalk, through the field, and onto the road
• 3.9 mile road walk
• East River Preserve – 3.2 miles – (Parking) – Rocky along the East River to the open fields and through the woods
• Nut Plain Woods – 1.7 miles – (Parking) – Long wetland board walk and unassuming woods between private property
• 0.2 mile road walk
• Timberland Preserve – 2.6 miles – Crosses Iron Stream, passes Paradise Pool and the upper reaches of Upper Guilford Lake
• Cockaponset: Guilford North Parcel – 1.6 miles – (Parking) – Fairly standard old woods road with a “cave” passing the local Sportman’s Club
• Genesee Recreation Area – 3.6 miles – Gently rolling trail skirts the edge of this Water Authority property but doesn’t touch its history
• Broomstick Ledges – 0.2 miles – Beautifully rocky winding trail over and between the ledges
  • Junction with the Mattabesett Trail

Mattabesett Trail

• Broomstick Ledges – 2.8 miles – (Bluff Head Parking) – Beautifully rocky winding trail over and between the ledges
  • Junction with the Menunkatuck Trail
• Bluff Head – 3.9 miles (Parking) – Climb to an overlook view before traveling through deep woods
• 0.5 mile road walk Stagecoach Rd to Rt 17
• Pistapaug Mountain – 1.9 miles – Very long gradual climb to a nice viewpoint and an uneventful summit before a long rocky descent
• Tri-Mountain State Park – 4 miles (South Parking) – Climbing steeply again into this scenic reserve, a descent, and another very steep climb to a viewpoint
  • Camping Area Cattails Shelter
• 0.2 mile road walk on Rt. 68
• Black Pond –5.1 miles – (North Parking) (South Parking)– A long hike on the Beseck Mountain Ridge culminating in a cliff overlook of Black Pond
• 0.1 mile road walk on Rt. 147
• Mt. Higby – 2 miles – (Parking Note: if you use the Higby Mountain Trail Head on Google Maps it will direct you to the Black Pond parking area) – Rugged hike with many great views
• Wesleyan Woods Conservation Area – 1.7 miles – (Parking) Down off the ridge on a long abandoned old woods road
• 1.2 mile road walk Country Club Rd over I-91 to Bell St
• Highland Pond – 0.5 miles – Easy flat stretch with views of the pond and two short bridges
• 0.4 mile road walk on Atkins St.
• Wilcox Woods – 0.8 miles – (Parking) Pleasant walk through pines and beginning to climb into Giuffrida
• Giuffrida Park – 3.5 miles – (Parking) – A U shaped hike over Chauncey Peak, down to the reservoir and up towards the west ridge
  

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• THIS SECTION CURRENTLY CLOSED DUE TO WILDFIRE 10/30/24
• Lamentation Mtn State Park – 2.8 miles – Continue along the forest ridge with small window views
  • Camping Area Lamentation Mtn Primitive Tentsite
• Alice Fern Bruce Preserve – 0.5 miles – (North parking closed) – Climb atop a rocky knob and then descend along abandoned Stantack Road
  

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• 2.6 mile road walk to Metacomet Trail

Metacomet Trail

• 2.6 mile road walk from Mattabesett Trail
• Blue Hills Conservation Area — 3.4 miles — (Parking) Unassuming start along a seasonal stream and rocky hills
• Hubbard Park / Castle Craig — 5.7 miles — (Parking) Enters the Hanging Hills and climbs to the castle tower on East Peak before turning north
• 1.5 mile road walk on Edgewood Rd
• Short Mountain / Timberlin Park — 1.7 miles — (Parking) Rocky climb to northwest views from Short Mountain and a descent to hiker friendly private property
• 0.2 mile road walk on Carey St
• Ragged Mountain — 5.2 miles — (Parking) One of the state’s most popular hikes with a handful of overlooks continuing along to the ridge south of Shuttle Meadow Reservoir
• 0.8 mile road walk on Andrews St to Long Bottom Rd
• Sunset Rock State Park — 3.6 miles — (Parking) A winding trail through strict rock features to the Crescent Lake overlook and ridges and then uneventful trail 
• 1.2 mile road walk over I-84 on Wooster St to Rt. 372
• Will Warren’s Den – 4.1 miles – (North Parking) (South Parking) Highlights include Pinnacle Rock overlook, Rattlesnake Ledges, Will Warren’s Den, and Hospital Rock
• Farmington Reservoir – 0.8 miles – Up and over the ridge above the reservoir and past eagle rock
• Hill-Stead Museum — 0.6 miles — (Parking) Continues the ridge at the eastern edge of the property
• 2 mile mixed trail and road walk on Prattling Pond Rd, Metacomet Rd, and Old Mountain Rd
• Kilkenney Rock – 4.6 miles – (North Parking) (South Parking) Climbing among utility corridors to the perched erratic with mixed access roads and mountain bike trails along the ridge
• Reservoir Number #6 – 1.8 miles – (Parking) Flat interlude along the western side of the popular reservoir
• Talcott Mountain State Park – 2.9 miles – (Parking) Climbing back to the ridge past iconic Heublein Tower to a steep descent
• Penwood State Park – 3.4 miles – (Parking) Quieter section with a fantastic view at Pinnacle overlook
• Wilcox Park — 1.8 miles — (Parking) Ridge line with an old chimney at Cedar Rock
• Bartlett’s Tower — 0.5 miles — (Parking) More ridge line and a more impressive chimney from a former resort
• 0.6 mile road walk on Rt. 189
• Tarrifville Gorge — 4.3 miles — (North Parking) (South Parking) Briefly along the Farmington River before rejoining the ridge and view of Connecticut whitewater
• 0.2 mile road walk on Newgate Rd
• Peak Mountain to West Suffield Mountain – 4.3 miles – (North Parking) (South Parking) Fantastic overlooks and a campsite through two towns
  • Camping Area Windsor Locks Primitive Tentsite
• Alcorn Preserve North Terminus – 2.3 miles – (Parking) Great views west along the ridges before descending to marshy areas at the Mass border
• Closest parking north of the MA border